Brotherly Love
by Lupa Wolfe
Summary: What if Inupapa hadn't died on the night Inuyasha was born? What if Inuyasha grew up under the influence of his older brother and father instead of his mother? And what of Sesshoumaru? How will he take the news that he has a little brother? Not Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- All rights go to Rumiko Takahashi. All characterizations in this story are merely speculation on my part and I claim no part of this story to be originally mine in any way. Please don't sue me!

Chapter 1- Inu no Taisho's Promise

Her name was a chant in his mind. Izayoi, Izayoi, Izayoi.

Over and over he said it in his mind, hoping that it would gift him with more speed so that he might reach his love sooner. His gigantic paws thudded against the forest floor, but not making as much noise as one would expect a larger than life dog to make. Dark blood splattered the stark white snow covering the ground in his wake.

A panicked voice from somewhere in his tangled mane called to him, "My lord! I beg you to not do this! Please reconsider, my lord. Your wounds from your battle with Ryukotsusei have not yet healed! This is sheer madness!" Myouga, a flea who had been a loyal vassal to his lord for years, wailed at the top of his lungs in order to be heard.

"That doesn't matter!" Taisan snapped in response. "I cannot afford to lose her." Air whipped along his massive body, whistling sharply and tugging at the great dog general's fur and ears.

"Please, my lord!" Myouga protested again, his voice high with fear.

"Besides," Taisan continued harshly, "I am not long for this world."

"Master!" Myouga cried.

His heart pumping wildly, he picked up speed, ignoring his vassal's pleas all the while. He was like a devil in his determination and nothing could stop him. He would have defeated Death Himself if it meant reaching Izayoi in time.

The general paused for only a moment to survey the castle where Izayoi was giving birth to his child. Pride mingled with fear, before he leapt down onto the ground and took off running again.

His body curved effortlessly around the densely packed brush and trees. As he came closer to the castle, he acknowledged that Myouga had (as expected) abandoned him in an attempt at self-preservation. The awareness made him smile faintly, for just an instant. It was good to know that when everything else had gone to hell, servants remained unchanged in their ways. The great dog general morphed from his true form, a giant dog reminiscent of Cerberus, to the form of a human man. He slowly unleashed his sword, the Tetssaiga, in an effort to calm his rapid heart. It beat now only out of fear that he was too late.

He shook his head vigorously (looking probably not unlike a dog after it's bath) and chastised himself. "Izayoi, I'm coming for you. Hold on." He whispered to the wind.

He unleashed a blast from his loyal sword upon the humans attempting to keep him from Izayoi, and they scattered like toy soldiers. He paused only for a moment to contemplate the irony that he was using a sword which meant man… against men.

Then without any further lingering, he released another blast on them, sending more parts of the castle to rubble. He sprinted forward his sword ready to launch another attack. Soldiers from inside the forte spilled out and without warning fired a flurry of arrows at him in an attempt at retaliation. Some landed in his armor and stuck, one grazed by his cheek leaving a scarlet line in its wake. Contrary to the belief that this would slow him down, all it did was make him feel more alive. Pain was proof that he existed, and that the small pain was nothing compared to what Izayoi must be going through.

With that thought in mind, he spun and unmercifully attacked again. This time the humans were wise and ran away. Taisan jumped with ease over debris and called out, a little frantically, "Izayoi! Izayoi!" He ran forward searching for any sign of her.

From within the castle emerged a man in red armor, "At last you've come, demon. You're a little late, though."

Taisan's eyes narrowed threateningly, "What?"

The man responded without pause or fear, "Lady Izayoi is in a place beyond your reach now. I dispatched her myself."

His lips curled in a snarl, "You bastard!" Then dashed forward.

The man ran to meet him and the two faced off in a split second. The sound of a sword slicing through flesh seemed to echo in the courtyard along with the thud of a limb hitting the ground, and then Taisan continued past the injured man into the mansion. The man screamed as the pain of it hit him. "Set the mansion afire! Burn it along with that demon and everyone else inside. Burn it to the ground!" He shrieked the orders to his remaining soldiers.

He clutched at his gushing wound as his vision blurred. "I will have my… revenge on you… and your bastard son." He whispered before passing out, leaving his men to drag him away to relative safety.

Inu no Taisho burst from room to room calling out to Izayoi. Just when it seemed hopeless that he would find her in time he crashed through the paper separation into a new room. "Izayoi!" He called again, and upended a tent in the middle of the room.

Izayoi lay there, covered in blood, even beautiful in death. "Izayoi." He whispered with grief, as he felt his knees weaken. Swallowing he unsheathed a second sword and held it firmly in hands that wanted to tremble with weakness. He waited for the site of the spirits which stole the soul of the recently departed to show themselves before the power of his sword of heaven. But none did. It meant that he was too late, that the spirits had come and gone. With the soul of his beloved in their grasp.

"No." He whispered, "This can't be. How could I have failed you, Izayoi?" He fell to his knees before her, sorrow consuming him. He had failed. He had failed her… and after he had promised…

He had every intention of dying there with Izayoi, to join her in the afterlife. That was his intention till he heard the squalls of an infant from within the folds of Izayoi's robes. Tentatively he reached toward the moving bundle and picked it up carefully.

He pushed aside a part of the blanket to reveal the pinched features of his son's crying face. He took in his son's soft downy tuft of white hair and sensitive dog-ears and that through his tear filled gaze were the Taisan's eyes staring back at him. He could see tiny traces in his face that were a replica of Izayoi's. From the shape of his chin to the shape of those luminous eyes. The infant stopped crying and hiccupped pitifully, then a tiny fist freed itself from the confines of it's blanket and reached up to touch the great Inu no Taisho's chin in a soft punch.

Taisan's breath, which he had been holding, released in a reverent sigh and held his son to his chest in a mixture of pride and grief. He glanced over to Izayoi's still form and his eyes closed with the pain of it. He leaned over and gently brushed his lips against her cool brow. "Our son will live a long life, Izayoi. I promise."

His son cried in another outburst of temper at being held so tightly and it was then that he realized if he was going to try to live then now was the time to leave. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of Izayoi's closed eyes then stood and ran out the room. Only when he and his son were safely beyond the burning wreckage that was once Izayoi's home did he look back to lament the fact that he had not been quick enough to save her life.

Myouga appeared on his shoulder suddenly, only when the danger was clearly gone. "My lord, I'm so glad you're alive! I was- wha? W-what is this?" He asked, his gaze taking in the slumbering form of the infant in his lord's arms.

"This is my son, Myouga." He said simply, defying him to mention his son's obvious half blood appearance.

"O-of course, my lord! And what a handsome young lord he is, too." The flea responded nervously. "Praytell, master, what is his name?"

After a pause, the Taisan responded with, "Inuyasha. His name will be Inuyasha."

A/N- I would like to clarify some names real quick, to make things easier for everyone. For Inu-papa- Generally I think Taisan is most appropriate. It means General in Japanese. If you want to get formal you could say Inu no Taisho, which literally translates as (and please correct me if I'm wrong, because I've only had one year of Japanese) the Dog General.

Also, please note that is an alternate reality of the Inuyasha story, and that in my version Sesshoumaru is much younger when Inuyasha is born. So don't send reviews saying, "Hey, n00b! I've watched the 3rd movie liek, a hundred times and almost the whole series so I know more than you and Sesshoumaru wasn't that young when Inuyasha was born!11 -spaz-." I realize this, okay? I've changed it. That's the definition of an AU.

I claim the right to make up whatever the hell I want till I learn otherwise and even then, I'm not changing nothing. Yay for double negatives and bad spelling.


	2. Chapter 2

Regular Disclaimer applies

Chapter 2- Sesshoumaru meets Inuyasha

Sesshoumaru, the son of the great dog general, was currently drawing a picture for his father for when he returned home. At the top of the paper, written in shakily straight hiragana was his father's name. Below this was what looked like a seal sitting on orange blobs of some unidentifiable nature. What Sesshoumaru saw was a very good likeness of his father in his fiercest form of beast, crushing all the foolish humans who opposed his superiority.

He looked over his masterpiece and grinned with pride. The boy looked no older than four, when in reality he was turning seven in only two months. Demons did age differently than humans after all.

Word had reached the grand home of the General that its master would return home the following day. Naturally the staff went into a mild panic attack and began cleaning and cooking as though the god of haste had possessed them.

Sesshoumaru lay on his stomach in the great room looking over his present, wondering if he could improve it in any way, while the servants ran around and behind him making last minute preparations. The head chief walked through the room on the way to the kitchen yelling at the trembling serving girl who trailing behind him, for not making sure they had enough flour, even though it wasn't her job. An elderly woman switched out the day old flower from a vase on the center table with new ones. Others ran back and forth, running errands around the estate. Then a young demon boy ran around the house, announcing that the lord would arrive in no less than ten minutes and that everyone was to make themselves scare in a timely manner.

At this Sesshoumaru's ears twitched. Ten minutes? Butterflies formed in his stomach as a sign of excitement. His father had only been gone a short three weeks but all the same, the boy much preferred his father's presence to that of his caretakers.

A distinguished female demon adorned in a lavish kimono and headdress made her way through the room. Two female attendants followed behind her. Sesshoumaru could just hear what they were saying.

"Madam, are you quite sure you don't want to begin preparing for his lordship's arrival? If we don't start now, there will be no way you'll be fit to greet him."

"Yes, Minako, I am quite sure."

"But milady-." The other started.

"Natsumi, not another word." The extravagant lady said icily, silencing the girl with a cool glance.

Sesshoumaru clambered to her feet and ran to her. "Mother!" He called, as he approached them. The attendants hide their smiles at his eager expression.

"I hear you, Sesshoumaru." The lady said, her expression much gentler.

"Why aren't you coming to greet Father? Aren't you excited that he is coming home so soon?" He asked his face all too innocent.

Her expression turned cold, slowly, "My son, part of the responsibility of being an aristocrat is showing decorum where emotions wish to frolic. Remember your lessons."

His eager expression wilted almost immediately, "I'm sorry, Mother." He said softly, not sure what he had done wrong.

"Don't apologize, Sesshoumaru. Just take care to never forget yourself again." She smiled, and bent down to kiss his brow. "Now go greet your father. I can't come right now, but I will see him later tonight." She said as she straightened.

"Thank you, Mother." He said, and walked _properly_ to the front entrance with his gift in hand.

Sesshoumaru tired to remember his decorum, but oh, it was hard. The butterflies in his stomach refused to stop dancing and he kept shifting from foot to foot with his impatience. He harshly chastised himself in his mind for it but a minute later he was shifting again. When he heard the front door slide open he almost ran around the corner to welcome his father back. He had to force himself to wait ten agonizing seconds while his father removed his boots and say "I'm back." before swinging around the corner into the genkan to say, "Welcome back, Father!"

He came to a screeching halt when he saw the bundle of blankets his father held so delicately.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru. It's good to be back home." His father said, smiling warmly at his son's enthusiastic welcome.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're looking quite well. I expect you've been eagerly anticipating your father's return." Myouga said from his father's shoulder.

"What is that thing?" Sesshoumaru asked, staring unblinkingly at the blankets.

The Taisan sighed and ushered Sesshoumaru out of the genkan into the great room. He sat carefully so as to not jostle the infant, on a pillow with his legs crossed.

"He is not a thing, Sesshoumaru. He is your new little brother, Inuyasha." The Taisan told his son, firmly. He knew that his words would be the end of it. Sesshoumaru was, if anything, an inquisitive child.

Sesshoumaru stared hard at the infant, not speaking for a few seconds. Inu no Taisho expected his first question to be about Inuyasha's origin. However he was slightly caught off guard when Sesshoumaru instead asked, "What's wrong with it?" Had his tone been disgusted or hateful, the General might have struck him across the back of his head, for forgetting his manners so rudely. However, his tone was curious and soft which saved him from receiving a harsh reminder.

"_He_ is not malformed, my son." He said, emphasizing that the infant did in fact have a gender. "Inuyasha is a half-demon, but every bit my son as you are." He suspected this question arose out of the fact that Inuyasha had different ears. He watched his son's reaction carefully.

Confusion flitted across his small features, "But Father, if it's a half demon, wouldn't you be doing the world a favor if you killed it?" Again, if Sesshoumaru hadn't sounded like he was quoting… someone, the General would have punished him.

"Why do you think that, my son?" The General asked carefully.

Sesshoumaru dragged his gaze from the infant to his father's face, "What do you mean, Father? That's what Mother always says."

'Aha.' He thought triumphantly. "Sesshoumaru, I will tell you this once and once only. This is your brother and he deserves your respect. It doesn't matter that his blood is thinner than yours, in fact, that makes him all the more precious. I trust you…" He paused here to look his eldest son directly in the eyes, "to look after him and protect him. Do you understand me?"

Sesshoumaru swallowed with difficulty, and nodded, "Yes, Father."

His father surveyed him for a moment longer then pulled a pillow out from under the table and set it next to him, "Sit down, Sesshoumaru."

When the young demon complied, the Dog General shifted the softly cooing infant into Sesshoumaru's arms. He sputtered, claiming he might drop him, or break him, but the General ignored his excuses and helped him to settle the infant into his small arms. When the General leaned back, the crook of Sesshoumaru's elbow carefully supported Inuyasha's head and he stiffly held the rest of the baby in his hands.

"What do I do with… him?" Sesshoumaru asked brokenly, remembering to give Inuyasha a gender.

"Hold him just like that while I remove my armor." He replied, holding back a smile. Then he very slowly began to unstrap his gear so that Sesshoumaru would have to hold Inuyasha longer.

A few strands of the boy's long hair worked it's way to his front which immediately caught the attention of Inuyasha. The infant grabbed the shiny strands with chubby fingers and proceeded to tug.

"Ow!" Sesshoumaru exclaimed. "As your older and much wiser brother I demand that you- ow, ow, ow!" He said for each tug Inuyasha rendered.

The Taisan smothered his laughter with a cough and at a smattering of giggles, glanced over to a doorway on the opposite walls to see half a dozen servant girls having less luck than he at concealing their amusement. They squealed and scattered deftly when they saw his gaze had found them.

"Are- ow!- little brothers supposed to be so- ah!- painful?" He asked in a strained voice.

"I believe so." The Taisan said casually, smiling. He reached over and helped to extract his eldest son's hair from the tight grasp of the younger.

"And you're sure you want me to protect him?" He asked, half filled with hope.

"Quite sure."

Sesshoumaru sighed painfully, and glanced back down at his new little brother, who looked back up at him innocently, "Then I guess… he's okay… I suppose."

A/N- One of the questions that my reviewers asked was the true meaning In Inuyasha's name. I've heard from several sources (including an interview when Rumiko herself confirm it) that his name means "Dog (inu) Forest spirit (yasha)". I don't know about the rest of you but I think this is a vast improvement over "female dog demon" XD.

I image Sesshoumaru grew up in a very formal setting, with a very strict mother and caretakers. Speaking of mummy dearest, we get her reaction to the new arrival in the next chapter -snicker-. By the way, I have given the general a name, I just haven't revealed it yet.

Genkan- The place where the outside shoes are removed and the inside slippers and put on. It's basically an entrance hall. It's typically a step lower than the rest of the house to give one the sense of separate form the outside and inside.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It really keeps my spirits up.


	3. Chapter 3

Regular disclaimer applies.

Chapter 3: Of Mothers and Mothers.

After removing his armor and the infant from Sesshoumaru's young hands, the general knew it would take great pains to find a suitable, loyal handmaiden to take care of the helpless pup without prejudice.

It was quickly becoming his greatest worry. Many full blooded demons held so much distain for half bloods. His own wife was a perfect example of this. He fully intended on keeping Inuyasha and his wife as far away from the other as he could. She had been raised on the principle that half bloods were better off dead than alive and disgracing the purity of the family bloodline. And it extremely irritated him that she was already ingraining that same ugly tradition into their only son.

Well, they'd have to have a talk about that.

In the meanwhile, he knew he couldn't just pass Inuyasha off to any servant. They would voice not a murmur of protest, seeing as it was the lord of the house they spoke to, then turn around and slaughter the babe without a single qualm the moment he was out of sight. He would have to sly and cautious about the whole ordeal.

"Myouga." He said.

"My lord?" The small vassal replied instantly.

"Stay with my son, Inuyasha, at all times. I trust you to warn me of any danger to him."

"Say no more, my lord!" The flea chuckled, jumping from his hiding place on the general to the cooing infant. "You can count on me."

With that extra security measure in place, he began to employ his plan to unearth the perfect surrogate mother for his and Izayoi's son. He jostled Inuyasha gently, a small abrupt movement that was sure to irritate the infant's sensitive mood.

Sure enough, the child's face grew pinched and red, until he finally couldn't stand the injustice of being treated so unkindly any longer. His wail was strong and loud and made every maid and servant in the room at that time stop and stare.

The General resisted the urge to smile. Already his son was showing signs of his father's pride. He made a subtle show of looking mildly alarmed and made a few feeble clumsy attempts at quieting Inuyasha's tiny rage.

All the while, he took careful inventory of who was acting blatantly concerned, or irritated. One maid with noticeable fox blood running through her veins took a tentative step toward the pair, but stopped as if blocked by some invisible wall.

Another maid emerged, bravely, approaching her lord as if it were an every day thing for her. "Please excuse my brazen behavior, my lord." She bowed respectfully, "But if I may?" She said over the screaming baby.

"By all means." He said casually, passing the infant easily enough to the smaller confident woman.

With an expert hand she calmed his cries quickly and efficiently. In what seemed like a moment, she had Inuyasha cooing in her arms. She smiled, apparently pleased. "I have many younger siblings, with who I've gained the experience of childcare." She explained.

"You are quite talented." He said coolly, taking back the infant from her. 'But very eager.' He added silently.

A movement among the servants caught his eye. Again he noticed the girl with fox blood and for a moment they locked eyes. She flushed and averted her eyes quickly, perhaps ashamed of staring so openly at the head of the household.

He couldn't help himself. He smiled. Without a further word to the girl who had so expertly calmed Inuyasha's fury, he approached the girl with fox blood. Her brown eyes widened in alarm as she realized that the Inu no Taishou was headed straight for her. The servants scattered quickly, leaving her standing all by herself.

"Girl. What are you called?" He asked when he came close enough.

"Akiko, my lord." She said bowing low. She couldn't bear to meet his eyes. Even with an infant in his arms the General was still just as intimidating as when he held a sword.

"Autumn child is the meaning, I presume? Then tell me, what is your experience with infants?"

"I… I have little, my lord." He eyes focused on the silver haired baby in her lord's arms. It seemed safer than staring at his feet in submission, or at his eyes in boldness.

"All the same," He said, brusquely, "I would think that a fox child of the autumn would get along well with a dog spirit of the forest. Don't you agree?"

"M-my lord?" She stammered, not sure she believed her ears.

He handed the infant to Akiko abruptly, but smoothly. Her hands quickly and naturally fell into the places that would best support him. And when his face scrunched up in outrage, the real look of alarm on her face made him laugh.

"I prefer an unwilling natural mother to an eager artificial one any time." He said, mysteriously. "I leave him in your care, miss autumn child."

"But… but, what if I hurt him?" She said loudly over Inuyasha's squalls, real horror showing in her voice.

The dog general smiled, "Because you say that, I know with even more confidence that he is safest with you… I will return shortly to see how he is." He added for extra measure.

Then he turned and strode away, leaving the poor confused handmaid with a shrieking Dog General's son.

He knew he had made the right choice. Logically, he knew that Inuyasha would be fine with the girl. They would no doubt acclimate to each other quickly… telling himself all this did not make the knots of anxiety in his stomach fade away. If anything happened to him… he didn't allow himself the weakness of continuing that line of thought.

He needed to focus now at the matter at hand. Setting things straight with his dear wife.

He found her in her chambers, having her long hair brushed till it shone by her handmaidens, Natsumi and Minako. She turned slightly to survey the intruder, her husband. "The lord of the household, home at last. I see you finally see it fit to visit your wife." She said, sourly.

He clenched his jaw at that. To speak in such a tone to him in front of servants demeaned his authority. It was a minimal decline, at the most, but it was the main principle of the way things worked in an aristocratic household. The wife never belittled the husband, no matter her personal feelings toward him. It just wasn't done.

"Leave us." He said sharply to the two girls and they scurried out past him quickly, not even pausing to drop the brushes in their hands.

"Such cruelty. What on earth could my dear personal handmaidens have done to evoke your wrath so soon after arriving home?"

"You know very well that it is not they who have angered me."

"I certainly hope you aren't referring to me, Shuichi. I have done nothing wrong." She said haughtily.

He crossed his arms, "And I certainly hope you aren't referring to me like that so casually in front of other servants."

"Oh, no. Never fear, my lord." She said, staring up at him through her lowered lashes. "I wouldn't never dream of it."

"I hope that's true for your sake, Kazumi."

She stood slowly, ever graceful. Even with her traditional twelve layers of clothing, she looked weightless and unencumbered. "Now that we have the tedious small talk out of the way, do feel free to inform me of the nature of your visit, my loving husband."

"Several matters actually. The first is about our son…"

"Is he not up to par with your standards as well?" She snapped.

He took a breath, restraining the need to snap back, "No. He's growing up well. His tutors appear to be doing a fine job with him."

"So whatever could be the matter?"

"He said something disturbing to me that I feel must be brought to a halt immediately." He said, seriously. He wondered how she would react… Kazumi made no move to egg him to get on with it. She looked understandably wary.

"He said that half demons would be doing the world a favor if they were dead." He paraphrased slightly.

She arched a sculpted brow at him, "And what part of that statement disturbed you, my lord?"

It was such a strange question that for a moment the General had no answer. "All of it."

"I see… well, then, we shall simply… bring this talk of dead half demons to a halt then, won't we?"

He was too intelligent to be pleased by her ready agreement. It had been too easy. Far far too easy. Instead of questioning her further, though, he would just wait quietly for the other shoe to fall, like great tacticians often did.

"Did you not mention a second matter you wished to discuss, honorable husband?" Kazumi reminded him sweetly.

"Yes." He paused again, trying to think of an artful yet gentle way to tell her about Inuyasha. "I thought it best to inform you before word reached you via the other servants."

"They do so love to gossip." She replied coolly.

"I have brought my son, Inuyasha… a half demon, home with me." He finally said simply.

At first, there was no reaction. He wondered if she had even heard him. Then as if his words had been water draining from a filter, her face grew red with anger, slowly. And she replied, "WHAT?!"

A/N: I've started back up this story. Hopefully there will be many of you out there still reading. I encourage you to review with some sort of response, as I really do enjoy reading them and sometimes replying to them, haha. If you have any questions, or corrections, feel free to address them then as well. I'm not perfect, so there will probably be plenty of mistakes that need correcting. I won't mind, honestly! Thanks for reading.

**If you take the time to read it, take the time to review! It really does encourage me to write more. When you post a review I know you liked what I wrote, but when I stare at another "hit" point and have absolutely no clue. Put my mind at ease! Love love love, okay?**


	4. Chapter 4

Regular disclaim still applies.

Chapter 4: Of Small Victories and Great Setbacks.

If he had not seen her rush from the room himself, he would have said Kazumi wasn't capable of moving so quickly. Not when her every usual motion was paced and graceful.

He followed her from the room but, and it pained him greatly to admit this, he could not keep up. Moments later the shriek that rent the air could have come from the lips of a banshee.

Shuichi caught up then and saw what had Kazumi screeching in outrage. Akiko was seated beside a kotatsu, a recessed low table with a charcoal pit under it, holding the infant in her lap as Sesshoumaru rubbed his downy ears.

Shuichi briefly wondered which aspect of the scene disgusted her most. The presence of a half demon or the face that Sesshoumaru was treating one gently instead of strangling "it".

Sesshoumaru jerked his hand away quickly from Inuyasha, like he had been caught in the middle of doing something shameful.

"The shame! Dishonor! Oh, the humiliation you have brought upon your once noble house, Shuichi!" Kazumi wailed. Akiko, probably in an unconscious reaction to the lady of the house, held Inuyasha more closely to her. Inuyasha stared at the woman in wide eyed awe, mouth slightly ajar.

"Kazumi, it is not Inuyasha that brings dishonor to this house now. It is you and your despicable lack of decorum." He said coldly.

"Me?" Kazumi said, a laugh not at all joyous bubbling up from within her, "You dare say that to me while that filth fouls and defiles everything that touches it?"

"Silence." Taishou said, quickly. Sesshoumaru was still very influential and all it would take to plant the seeds of hatred in him would be a single word of revulsion from his mother.

"And our son! How could you have done this to our son? I can understand your loathing for me, Shuichi… but what has Sesshoumaru done to deserve this vile curse hanging over his head?" She started to wail, as in mourning. Inuyasha, who had been doing a marvelous job at staying silent, started to cry for fear of being left out.

"May the Gods give me the strength to deal with this woman and all her hysterics…" Shuichi muttered, crossing to Kazumi swiftly and pinching a nerve on her neck that made her black out. He caught her deftly in his arms and hoisted her up.

"Father…" Sesshoumaru said softly, hesitantly.

"You've done nothing wrong, Sesshoumaru." Shuichi said firmly.

"No… I mean, I know… but what's wrong with Mother?"

"A lot of things." Shuichi muttered.

"F-father?"

"I… I merely meant that Mother is fine, just very tired. It's exciting having a new addition to the family and it just… took a lot out of her." He amended.

"Oh, I see. So Mother is sleeping?" He said, staring interestedly at his Mother's unconscious partially upside down face.

"Yes. Yes, she's sleeping."

"Well, that's good. It wouldn't do to have Mother flying off the handle all the time." He said seriously nodding.

Shuichi snorted, trying to keep from laughing. He wondered where Sesshoumaru had heard that phrase. No doubt from one of the more vocal servants. "No, indeed it wouldn't. You are wise beyond your years, my son."

He started to leave, to lay Kazumi down in her chambers, but a thought occurred to him and he stopped. "Akiko."

"My lord?" She said, only now managing to calm Inuyasha down again.

"How are you handling Inuyasha?"

"He is… uh, he is his lordship's son." She said evasively.

He grinned, "That still does not answer my question."

She brushed her too-long amber brown bangs out of her eyes. "He is a hellion." She said resignedly. "But not an ill tempted baby. I think in the short time you… left him with me, we've gotten to learn how to handle each other."

Inuyasha made a sound that was similar to an irritated grunt. Akiko sighed. Apparently this was Inuyasha's way of saying, "I'm in some way, probably a very small one, uncomfortable. Do something about it." Immediately Akiko grimaced at him exaggeratedly, screwing up her plain but delicate face, and Inuyasha blew a spit bubble in delight.

"I see." Shuichi said, firmly, trying his best to frown, "Excellent. As you were." And he carried his unconscious wife out of the room, leaving Akiko and the brothers alone again.

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment after his father's departure, and then he said to Akiko, "If anything were to happen to Inuyasha… you should know that I'll be very cross… because I'm supposed to be protecting him, you know."

Akiko resisted the urge to smile, "I understand, my lord. May my head be severed from my body before harm befalls this infant." She said holding up her index and pointer fingers as a sign of her integrity.

Sesshoumaru nodded, apparently pleased with this violent promise. Then with his threat out of the way he went back to rubbing Inuyasha's downy ears.

The days to follow were anything but uneventful. In between balancing an irate infant and an excessively curious elder son, Shuichi also had to somehow add his wife to the mix. He was being to suspect that she was going through the five stages of grieving, only leaving out the last one, acceptance.

"Why do you say that, milord?" Myouga asked him when he voiced this suspicion while sitting outside watching Sesshoumaru play with a red ball.

"Oh, it's just speculation on my part." He said impassively. "It might be the fact that she alternates between hysterical sobbing and throwing her belonging as the head's of servants. Or maybe it's because she's taken to wearing nothing but black and white." The traditional colors of mourning.

"Ah… I…I see your point, my lord." The flea said submissively.

The Taishou let his head rest gently against the shoji screen that divided the inside of his home from the outside. He couldn't let it go on much longer. If Kazumi didn't accept Inuyasha as a member of the household then she would force his hand to something drastic. All her antics were making him anxious. An emotion unbecoming of a feudal lord.

He could practically feel the first murmurs of rebellion floating around the castle. Surely the servants were saying amongst themselves what an incompetent ruler he was. A lord unable to control his wife? Who ever heard of such a thing? His hand is sorely lacking control. Now is the best time to over throw him…

He wasn't naïve enough to think that every servant in his household was loyal to him. It was a fact of life that spies lived and interacted with him inside his most sacred dwelling. You either accepted this fact, or resigned yourself to a life of humble living. His pride was not so meager that it could accept the latter, however.

This was why a disobedient wife shook the very foundations of all he had striven to build. If a lord is incapable of controlling even the closest of those to him, then he is weak and ripe to be overtaken by someone more capable.

Yes, he could handle most, if not all, opposition. But life was undeniably easier the less he had to fight to keep what was rightfully his. And he couldn't forget Sesshoumaru.

He went back to watching his eldest toss the red ball to an attendant.

Someday what was his, would go to Sesshoumaru. Every rival, every rebellion, threatened his son's smooth inheritance of the land. With the adoption of it, he would also adopt his father's enemies. It was not just his life that he wanted to make easier, but his son's as well.

"Father!" Sesshoumaru called, "Come play! Oh! Or we could fight! Fight me!"

Shuichi chuckled and stood. "Are you sure? I won't go easy on you just because you're my son."

"Of course." He said with all the passion of a demon twenty years older.

"Then get the wooden swords and let's start."

A/N: Sorry if this is a slow/boring chapter. I've been searching for a way to go about this in a more organized fashion and I suppose you could call this a transition chapter. There will be one more chapter involving Inuyasha's infancy. The next five chapters will probably have to do with his young adulthood. And the final five will deal with the end of the story. I could stray from this or shorten it. It all really depends on how well it's received by you guys –smile-.

Thanks to coco, rpalaniy, Princess Sin, yumichan999, Sha19, NaussicaVOW, and Serentochan for reviewing. You're all gems 3.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All characters, save a few obvious ones, belong to the original creator. Sesshoumaru's mother, though she has been introduced in the manga over in Japan, is not the same individual as who I portray in my fanfiction. I apologize for that, but it won't be changing. I started this sucker in 05', when her appearance was a possible but unlikely occurrence. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 5: The End of the Dream

"Shuichi."

"Mmm…" He grunted and rolled over.

A laugh, light and chiding. "Wake up, Shuichi. For someone so dogged, sometimes you act like such a kitten."

Only one person had ever dared to teasingly reprimand him like that. He jolted upright and found himself staring into the eyes of his love. "Izayoi." He said, reaching out a hand to caress her cheek. She smiled serenely and held it to her warm soft face. "I've missed you so much, Izayoi." So much that it was still painful.

"I know." She said, "I've missed you too."

Reality sunk in. Not even his dreams would his subconscious give him peace. "This isn't real… You're dead. I failed you. You must hate me. . ." She laughed again, making his heart constrict painfully.

"Hate you? I could never hate you."

He closed his eyes tight, and dragged her to him, feeling her familiar weight and warmth. "Don't go." Her hand rubbed his chest lightly. Her touch was like the flutter of butterflies' wings. So gentle and faint it seemed to have hardly happened at all.

"You have to wake up, Shuichi." She said gently, drawing away. He tried to hold onto her, but she had lost her substance. His hands grasped only air.

"No!" He found himself sitting upright in his bed. A dream. Even then he had known that, but that didn't make the pain any less sharp. He heard a shift of clothe to his back, and he jerked around quickly to see. Sesshoumaru froze mid step, staring at his father in wide-eyed surprise.

"I-I'm sorry for waking you, father." He said hesitantly.

The general rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, "You didn't wake me, Sesshoumaru. Come here." Sesshoumaru shuffled over reluctantly. "Did you need something from me?" Sesshoumaru shook his head quickly, defiantly, and stared at the 

floor. Shuichi smiled, "Could it be that a certain birthday boy is too excited to wait for a certain father to wake and give that certain birthday boy his present?"

Sesshoumaru hid his grin behind his small hands, "No!" He giggled.

"Because you would never lie to your father, would you, Sesshoumaru?" The Taisho said mock sternly.

"Me? Never!" Sesshoumaru said, still ineffectively hiding his laughter.

"Liar!" Shuichi roared, launching himself at his son. Sesshoumaru squealed with surprise and joy and then the general went in for the kill. The Great Tickle Technique of the East. It never failed.

It was a very warm day in February, luckily enough, so that Sesshoumaru could properly run around outside without getting chilled. Inuyasha, not one to be left out, had reached his own personal milestone of being able to roll over and gum his toes. Akiko had become frighteningly adept at handling Inuyasha and his famous temper. She had also struck up a certain camaraderie with Sesshoumaru. Both were extremely pleasing. The general was considering making Akiko Sesshoumaru's full time nanny.

After a very eventful but peaceful suspiciously Kazumi-absent day, Shuichi readied his present. After a dinner full of Sesshoumaru's favorite foods, the Taisho signaled for the servant to come forward. On a tray were three bowls filled with a strange looking white powder with a stain of red on top.

Sesshoumaru eyed the present warily. "What is it?"

"It's called shaved ice."

"So it's… like snow? What do you do with it?"

Shuichi smiled, "You eat it."

Sesshoumaru looked skeptical, "Is it good?"

"Why don't you be the judge of that?" He replied.

The servant handed one each to Sesshoumaru, Shuichi and Akiko. Upon receiving one, Akiko's eyes widened and she shot a look at the general, who noticed out of the corner of his eye and declined to acknowledge it. Yes, she was a servant, but she was also something of a nanny to both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, and thus deserved the same privileges as them both to instill a feeling of familiarity. And perhaps also because he liked surprising her.

Sesshoumaru took a small bite out of the cherry flavored ice. "It's cold!"

Shuichi laughed, "Yes, I know. But what about the taste?"

"S'good." Sesshoumaru said mouth already full of another bite.

Shuichi turned to Akiko, "And you?"

"I've never had such a strange flavorful treat before, my lord. Thank you." She said, handling the shaved ice in one hand and rubbing the backing of a babbling Inuyasha next to her.

He grunted, "Do you require anything?"

She bit her lip and averted her eyes, "No, my lord."

"Keh." He said, knowing she was lying and making a mental note to ask again later. Akiko was too polite to ever admit that her care was in any way lacking. But he wasn't ashamed to admit that he knew little about the wants and needs of women. There must be something she wanted… right?

"Excuse me, my lords. The baby needs to be put down." She set the ice down on the table and gathered Inuyasha up carefully.

"Wait." Sesshoumaru said, "Inuyasha didn't get any shaved ice."

"He's too young, I think." Shuichi said.

"Oh." His face fell into a look of contemplation. "Well, maybe on his birthday then?"

The fact that Sesshoumaru expected Inuyasha's birth to be celebrated spoke volumes to his father. Shuichi smiled, "On his birthday, yes."

Sesshoumaru nodded, satisfied, and returned to his treat.

As she left, Shuichi saw the ghost of a smile on Akiko's face. He craned to see automatically, but her back was already to him as she left the room. He turned back to his elder son, "Happy 7th birthday, Sesshoumaru."

--

He should have known that it was too good to last. A sense of foreboding filled him in the days to follow. Paranoia demanded that he increased the security surrounding their estate. As well as within.

He approached Akiko. "This is Daisuke-san." Shuichi said gesturing to the stoic guard at his side. "He will be looking after the two of you for the time being."

Akiko touched her hand to her throat reflexively, "Oh. I see." She glanced at her new companion, who nodded at her solemnly. "Might I ask… why?"

The general shrugged. "Protection." He said simply.

Having a soldier guarding them full time helped him relax somewhat, but the days to follow still felt unusually full of tension. One night, his fears came to fruition.

"My lord!" Akiko screamed. He jolted awake and was sitting up in bed in moments. Akiko flew into his room, clutching Inuyasha to her tightly. She stumbled and nearly fell. He stood quickly to steady her.

"What is it?" He said, heart pounding, grasping her tightly by the shoulders.

"Inuyasha… he… he…" She gasped, voice rough and raspy. She could barely speak. He looked at the infant in her arms, and saw that he was not moving. He took his child from her and saw his pale face, his tinted blue lips.

"No…" He could not be dead. He couldn't even organize his thoughts enough to ask what had happened. He acted, then, on impulse alone. He got down on his knees and laid Inuyasha on the floor. Putting his mouth on his son's he forced air into his tiny lungs. Akiko didn't ask him what he was doing. She simply drew closer. She held her breath, hardly daring to hope... The general pressed and rubbed his son's chest. He tried to feel for his beating heart. His own almost stopped when he couldn't find it. Nonetheless, he continued for several minutes hopelessly. Not knowing if what he was doing was helping at all.

After a time, he heard Akiko choke on a sob, "My lord…he is…" Shuichi shook his head and continued. "My lord…" She put her hand on his lightly, and he jerked it away roughly.

"He is not dead!" He yelled. Akiko could only stare at him, tears rolling down her face.

A tiny cough made them both jerk and swing their gaze down to the baby. Inuyasha coughed again, wheezed, then opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, looking almost disorientated. Then he began to squall loudly and shake his little fists weakly, but angrily.

Akiko and Shuichi shared a look. It was a look of relief, disbelief and understanding. Inuyasha was a fighter. Akiko smiled hesitantly. The general smiled back, and found laughter bubbling up in his throat. It rolled out of him in waves, shaking his body so much than Akiko took the still crying Inuyasha from him nervously. He laughed until his body felt weak with joy.

When he was able to stop he wiped the tears from his eyes and sobered up. "Tell me what happened." He demanded.

"It was Daisuke-san, my lord. He... he had his hands wrapped around Inuyasha's throat. I had only been gone a few minutes… I thought he would be safe with him…" She jiggled Inuyasha gently in her arms trying to calm him.

A cold wrath filled him. Cold, not hot. A calculated, determined sort of anger. More potent than the impulsive sort. "Is that so?" He looked at Akiko's guilt filled face and knew that she had no part in this attack. "Your voice is hoarse. He attacked you too." It was a statement.

Akiko brought a hand up to her throat, which was beginning to show darkened handprints. "I could not leave Inuyasha with that man. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had." A resolute look filled her eyes.

He nodded, not needing to inquire further. "You saved my son's life. You have my eternal gratitude… and protection."

"I did only what any woman… no, what any person would have in my position." She said, averting her gaze.

"No… they wouldn't have." He said, standing up. He was glad it was her looking after his children. The girl who had come forward first just to please him wouldn't have risked her life for the life of a lowly half-demon. He went to the door and called for more servants. "Stay with them and see to their wounds." He instructed. "Should I come back and see that either of them is further harmed… you and your entire extended family will suffer endlessly. Understand?" He barked.

Trembling, the servants nodded in unison. He grunted and brushed by them. He had business to attend to.

Note: There have been a few of you who have voiced displeasure at the General's treatment of his wife. This is normal, and I'm glad you realize that this isn't how a husband should treat his spouse. However, I would like to remind you that Inu-no-Taisho is no normal man. Nay, he is not a "man" at all. He is a demon, and a product of his time. Kindness, courtesy, and mercy are characteristics as foreign to him as their methods of dealing with rebellion are to you and me.

Furthermore, try to keep in mind that you don't know the circumstances behind his treatment of her, and visa versa. Nor their story and past. Betrayal is a two way street, my friends. I like this chapter and I already have more written. I'm getting back in my groove of this stylized way of writing :).

PLEASE review. Then I know you'd like more, hehe.


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